Kings and Queens
by Annacat101
Summary: "We were the kings and queens of promise. And now look at us." A series of drabbles, from different people's POV, as Konoha burns at the hands of it's brightest child. No one knows why Naruto snapped, or if he was ever sane at all. No one ever will.


Hey!

I realize this _was _already up on another of my stories, **Nursery Rhymes for the Damned** but it's not really a nursery rhyme (not a song fic either, just a buncha drabbles taken from the the actual song lyrics) so I took it down and reposted it on it's own.

Basically, the deal is that I sucked a** at writing well in 1st person, so I wrote all these drabbles in order to write another one of my nursery rhymes (Ino). And I liked them enough to post. So yeah, hope you enjoy. **XD**

* * *

**Into the night**

You stood like a star atop the mountain, blinding red rays spraying earth all around the burning land.

We laughed as one, the screams around us bells tolling our freedom.

Freedom from the bonds of the humanity and suffering, embracing the darkness in order to escape the baleful gaze of the jealous light. The light that smothered you as innocent white clouds dot the pure blue sky until they expand, thick and grey with the pollution of hatred and despair. That is why you walked into the night.

Because only the sun outshone my Naruto, and now nothing ever will.

* * *

**Desperate and broken**

He stared at me with eyes like mine had been, feral and trapped. Desperate and broken.

I didn't want to believe him, believe anything, the evidence as tangible as the blood swirling around my bare feet.

Why did he betray us? Nothing made any sense, who was this monster? What happened to the boy with eyes clearer than mine who freed me from fate, shining like the sun to save me from the very darkness that surrounded us even now?

His bloody teeth gleamed beneath a too-familiar grin, like a mask finally split open.

_**"I changed my ninja way."**_

_**

* * *

**_

**The sound of a fight**

A small croak emitted (See, Sensei? I do know how to use words properly!) from my throat. Not like screaming would help, anyway.

I wrapped my green cloak around my bright yellow shirt. Camouflage was never my strong point. Just like **Him**.

The sound of a fight, no, of slaughter echoed through the alley. Blood coated the walls as **He** shoved his fist into Hanabi's older brother, his eyes like broken china as they stared through me. My hands (why were they shaking?) tried to push **Him** away but **He** only laughed. A wrong laugh. Bad.

"Why, Boss? Why?"

* * *

**Father has spoken**

_This is not what I wanted for you, my son._

_You had so much potential, so much _Goodness _inside your soul that I thought you would triumph over their ignorant lies and vicious, bitter words._

_I do not blame you, any man would have broken. I only wish that you hadn't. Through the Shinigami's eyes I see everything, even as I seal this _Monster _inside you I watch the nine tails sprout once more as your eyes turn purple with rage. Or is it despair? Our Father has spoken, and decreed this fate._

_But I will always believe in you._

_

* * *

_

**Into your eyes**

I should have known better. Really.

But its not like there was time to think, anyway.

I fall into your eyes, purple, neither human nor demon. Behind them is hatred and I wonder if that's all that is left of you. I fall even further and watch helplessly a tiny boy sobbing but then he's laughing as I'm swamped by red tendrils that burn me in their fiery rage and choking in the smog of polluted dreams-

I fall gasping out of your eyes. Surrounded by blood. And I realize your thoughts aren't the only reason why I can't breathe.

* * *

**Hopeless and taken**

My heart breaks as I crash into the Kyu- Naruto.

He is not the Kyuubi, no matter what anyone says or whatever he does.

Even if he hits me so hard blood gushes from my throat and splatters across his face he is still my Naruto. Young, innocent, righteous as he destroys our world, because we deserve it. No, I can't think that, I have to bring him back, nothing is hopeless and-

Taken by the throat, I dangle freely.

_**"Goodbye, Sensei..."**_

_Not innocent immortal hatred chakra burning fire pain white bones blood skin tears pain oh god pain oh-_

_

* * *

_

**We stole our new lives**

In hindsight, I should have known. That little sonofabitch saying _"Whoops. Didn't see THAT coming now did ya?"_

It was either kill him or train him, why not use the genius who lost all his teammates? He can't be so unlucky as to fail again, right? Bullshit.

We had good intentions, me and all the rest of us who wanted to be redeemed, our hopes rejuvenated by their innocent smiles. We stole our new lives by making them monsters. We got what we deserved.

_**"Let's look underneath the underneath, Sensei..."**_

And I lay, naked and alone as always, dying in the dirt.

* * *

**Through blood and pain**

Through blood and pain I watch in horror as Kaka-sensei's mask is ripped off, Naruto's laughter as he bites his throat in mockery of a caress, lapping up the blood. The man jerking and falling limply to the dust.

Frankly, I had half-hoped for this to happen. Sasuke shouldn't have died, executed for the crimes of others.

And yet, in my dreams it was just the village, filled with nameless people none of us cared about, because Naruto saves those he loves.

But I should have known it would be the Kyuubi in control. Naruto would break before he bent.

* * *

**In defense of our dreams**

Naruto, the council _**I**_ had decided, was a problem.

An unpredictable hero too powerful to live, needing to be put down for his _**my **_own good. Too pure to survive in our _**my **_new world.

In defense of their _**my **_dreams they _**I **_tried to take his power. They _**I **_forgot one thing, though. Naruto's dream was to live, to be acknowledged. Until they _**I **_shattered his dream. But, even when a dream dies, it will come back. Maybe a little warped, a bit twisted, but it will always come back.

Like brittle leaves bathing in the sun, they _**I **_will burn.

* * *

**In defense of our dreams**

(yes, this is repeated twice in the song. Check it if u don't believe me.) XD

The ink darkens my flesh with a tiny shiver, the power consumes me as my skin grows wrinkled and cold.

I have no time to wonder, and yet I do.

I wonder if the monster sprang up overnight, or if he had always been there, lurking in the shadows of blinding smiles. But that can't be, here I am now fighting in defense of his dreams. Our dreams, mine, his, Dan's, Nawaki's. Was Sasuke greater than that dream? I wonder, too late, as his chakra hits me, my sight dimming, lungs heaving desperately,

Who of us truly honors the dead?

* * *

**The age of man is over**

(Guess what? This one is 200 words long! *gasp* That's because there are TWO people starring, and not enough lyrics to cover all Konoha 11!) XD

Kiba signals me._ We gotta go in fast and hard. _He makes a rude gesture.

_Fighting Naruto is NOT like sex. _I frown beneath my coat. Somehow he gets the message.

_Sex. A good way to die. Fighting the demon dog that makes me want to roll over and die? Not-_

Our "talk" is interrupted by a wave of heat. The kikaichu buzz within me, tentatively reaching out to feed on the foreign chakra. Euphoria sweeps through them, not unlike when Kiba got us drunk and-. I make a mental note to confront him later.

The street is littered with the dead and dying. It seems Naruto is picking off those closest to him one by one whilst the Kyuubi wreaks general havok. This is logical, as it is our fault Sasuke was captured and executed.

Kiba leaps for Naruto, a necessary move meaning suicide. I need his distraction in order to do our job. A stream of kikaichu crawl unnoticed across the street, invisible in the shadows of almost-dawn.

A reverberation spreads through us as chakra flares brightly and fades in seconds. Kiba is dead.

Another spike, so is the Aburame.

We disperse, the age of man is over.

* * *

**The darkness comes and**

"Dynamic Entry!"

It's not the whirling kick I deliver that leaves everything a blur, but the corpses flooding the street. If we had gotten here sooner...

"I am in the Springtime of My Youth! I shall Triumph!"

His laughter is empty. Yet his purple eyes, so filled with life and pain, belie that soulless mask. We fight, taijutsu only. Part of Naruto must be alive, the Kyuubi wouldn't play fair. But, then again, I don't either.

The weapons bury themselves into him. Hope flares briefly. But I can't feel my arms. Or legs.

The darkness comes and Tenten only screams.

* * *

**All these lessons that we've learned here**

I stand tall, when all I want to do is throw myself into your arms and cry.

But I can't give up, all these lessons that we've learned here, from you, forbid giving up.

We fight, blow for blow, and I know there are a thousand ways you can kill me. And yet you don't.

Our eyes lock, and yours aren't purple like I thought they were. They're made of tiny blue and red flecks, of every shade, interwoven like thousands of threads. My weak heart stutters, and I see that familiar, azure blue from before.

_"I love you."_

_

* * *

_

**Have only just begun**

(yes, I AM this evil.) XD

The rubble, though difficult to dislodge with my chakra holes sealed, finally crumbles.

**"Stupid fools" **I mutter, smirking. It must be Naruto who did this, so distraught at my _execution _that he destroyed Konoha. Idiotic, Danzo keeping me alive, not even Tsunade knowing the truth.

I walk, silently as ever. No use escaping if Naruto accidentally kills me. Though his face afterward _would _be hysterical.

I spy Sakura, her pink hair bloody red and matted like Karin's. I crush the bones beneath my foot. I've always hated their faces.

Laughter echoes through empty streets, my plans have only just begun.

* * *

**We were the kings and queens of promise**

(Sorry, this one is longer than 100 words. I realize what the author is supposed to do is test their skill by conveying a story in just a few words but quite frankly I didn't like it any shorter than this.)

"Are you going to see him?" he asks, casually. You don't miss the way he stiffens on the ground.

"Yeah," there's not really much you can say. He _was _your best friend, after all.

"What're you gonna do?"

"I dunno," and even I don't know what you are planning. Your mind is a jumble, happy memories and dreams of blood as we stare at the cloudless sky.

"It's almost funny, you know? We were the kings and queens of promise. And now look at us. The dead-lasts are the strongest, prodigies drowning themselves in vengence and drink and memories..." He trails off.

"This world is kinda fucked up, you know?" And it isn't a question.

"Yeah, this world is rotten," you whisper, answering anyway, and I feel sorry for the golden girl, a woman now, far away on distant dunes.

"How troublesome," he whispers back, and the clouds are silent. Phantom hands caress your skin, a sweet farewell as they choke you. As you choke him.

"How..." the shadows are still, and you walk away.

* * *

**We were the victims of ourselves**

The gloves itch over your sticky hands, at least they're black, proper for a funeral.

You curse Chouji, along with your gloves. Now that's two you've killed. But for what?

There was no plan, not that I could see. It's too late, anyway. Sasuke is dead, the poison already delivered. The execution only for show, to appease the masses.

You laugh, "_**He was the victim of himself. And who said anything about **_**saving**_** any-"**_

You are cut off, but you still talk. Unaware that I am blocked from you. Of Danzo's men surrounding you.

And I fall into the abyss.

* * *

**Maybe the children of a lesser god**

Fire licks the remnants of black gloves, blistering your fingers. I heal them.

We stand atop the Hokage Mountain, faces gone, a blank slate to write our own tale.

I wonder, briefly, what changed your mind. Not the insults, festering like an open wound for years. Not Danzo's torture, or my influence. It wasn't Sasuke's death, you said yourself it _was_ his own fault.

Humans. Maybe the the children of a lesser god, striving for perfection and goodness while entrenching themselves deeper in loathing and despair. I wonder what you strove for.

I shudder. Or maybe you were just bored.

* * *

**Between Heaven and Hell.**

(I tried but it wouldn't stay shorter than 150 words, so I gave up. Sorry.)

He strides royally through the gates. You laugh as I picture it, the villagers bowing at his feet, "Prince Sasuke" drapped in a dark blue tunic, 'round his head a laurel wreath.

_**"It'd have to be a pony-tail to stay on **_**his**_** duck-butt hair!"**_

I chuckle too, but shivers crawl through my fur at your voice. My dream came true, Konoha burns, you have embraced the darkness. And yet I feel that realm is far more yours than mine.

At a scream I snap back to reality, Sasuke lies on the floor. Onyx eyes wide as bloody chakra dances lovingly across his body.

_**"So pure, even now. An angel trapped on earth, unable to choose between Heaven and Hell,"**_ You whisper as porcelain skin runs red.

And through your mind flits cloudy skies and bloody masks. Hard white eyes and soft pink hair.

_**"So beautiful, the broken ones are **_**always**_** the most beautiful."**_

_**

* * *

**_

**Heaven and Hell**

It's you and me now. Alone in this burning paradise, this place of Heaven and Hell.

You had laughed and you had cried but now you were silent. I shiver again, I enjoy blood, but is it really _necessary_ to bath in it, comparing the different flavors of your friends?

You chuckle, and I wonder for a moment how you heard me, but you cut me off.

_**"I know what you are thinking, 'cause you're me and I am you. But you, it seems, are the more human of us."**_

You whisper. It burns.

_**"And I don't want to be human."**_

_**

* * *

**_

A/N: I know a lot of people say this, but this story REALLY wrote itself. I'm not kidding. That's why the storyline kinda jumps from drabble to drabble, but that's the beauty of different people's perspectives, isn't it?

Yeah, I'm lazy, like Shika. So once I got the plot down I didn't change my original drabbles. (WAAAH! I killed him!!) :'-(

I personally think it's 'cause no one knows the real truth. Not even the Kyuubi knows the real reasons behind Naruto's (Insanity? Hatred? Despair? All three?), and he frickin LIVES inside Naruto's head!. So since there are no Naruto POV drabbles, u will NEVER know! Mwahaha.

Actually, its more like I'M the person who doesn't know, so interpretation is up to the reader. **XD**


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